Is the youth equipped with the core employability skills?

What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will today’s students need to thrive and shape their world? 

One of the great challenges is to equip young generation with the skills they will need no matter what future jobs look like. These skills include problem-solving, critical thinking, as well as interpersonal skills like empathy and collaboration.

In recent years youth unemployment has become a major issue. Despite having bachelor’s and master’s degree, many young individuals struggle to find jobs or find it hard to cope with the job in hand. They find it hard today to get a job in the chosen industry. Youth today is lacking necessary skills, work experience and general awareness. Although the global youth unemployment rate is 13.6%, youth accounts for 40% of those unemployed. One of the major reasons is that the youth lack necessary skills, work experience, job search ability and financial resources. 

• By 2025, 85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines.
• Education systems, and the lives of millions of young people are in danger of being left behind by this pace of change. 
• Here are three key ways educators can prepare students for the future of work.

50% of all employees need reskilling by 2025; Digital skills emergency; Employers shift focus from education to skills.

Globally 40 million new jobs will be needed each year to accommodate new labour market entries. It got me thinking about how we guide this brilliant brigade waiting impatiently for us to lead them to the future. Are we doing our best to prepare them for the rapidly changing landscape? Are we helping them build the right skills to succeed in a largely unknown world?

The future is knocking at our doors

Let’s look at the scenario ahead. According to the recent report by the World Economic Forum, 85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines by 2025, while 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms – that’s just over three years away.

65% of children in school today will end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist. Existing jobs may not go away but will certainly be different. For instance, banking will go almost entirely virtual, and core professions like medicine will exist but with an extensive technology filter.

Furthermore, 84% of employers are set to rapidly digitalize working processes; and 94% of business leaders report that they expect employees to pick up new skills on the job. In fact, in what is being coined the “Upskilling Economy”, companies across the world are investing billions of dollars to reskill their workforce. Clearly, the future of work has already arrived for a large majority of workers.

Our education system is in danger of being left behind by this dizzying pace of change. If teenage students are wondering about cryptocurrency, should we be teaching them about blockchain? If they’re curious about robots, at what point should we open the doors to automation, artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning?

Today’s students have better technical skills than the teachers. We all need to start thinking different and accept the fact that a 50 year old may not know better than a 18 year old. 

A need to reconfigure the future

We are responsible to create the framework for success in a future not yet known. In the era of digital transformation and with the advent of big data, digital literacy and data literacy are becoming increasingly essential.

Imparting skills to help the youth get better jobs

According to market research, the majority of entry level careers expect a certain degree of core employability skills. Core skills which will increase employability in the youth include communication skills (written and spoken), computer operations, work readiness and interview skills. 

Flexibility and Adaptability to changes

The modern workforce is changing very quickly, and no one can predict how industries will change in the coming decades. Youth must be able to adapt to changes quickly to be successful. Employees who can adjust with changes are in high demand. Creativity and ability to respond to situations to assess a variety of perspectives and devise the best course of action is key.

Emotional Intelligence

This is an important skill. Young individuals who are self-aware can understand the situations in hand and make better decisions.  This is critical in making strong connections which are essential in every industry. Employers seek new hires who can strengthen these bonds to promote the company and collaborate effectively. 

Change the way we teach

Today’s employers are not focusing on education they are focusing more on skills. We need to change the way we teach. Schools and Universities need to adopt a practical way of teaching embedding practical work experience as a part of the curriculum at least at the university level. 

Good Communication skills 

Written and Spoken English skills are extremely important for employment. If a person cannot communicate effectively, no matter how good your ideas are you cannot be successful in your job. Writing and speaking skills are among the top qualities that many organizations look for in new workers. 

Digital Knowledge

Technology is pervasive on our lives. A person’s knowledge of technology will make him more appealing to an interviewer. Young people should continue to broaden their knowledge of emerging technology as they get job ready.